NebraskaTwins

Could very well be the case. But the Twins didn't have to be the only team in play after the Mets bowed out. Boras could've strung this along as soon as the Twins came in $85M underneath their original offer. By doing that, its feasible to think he would've gotten at least a 7yr for $250 offer somewhere. I personally think they found something new and Correa was sick of the process and called off the dogs and simply said, get it done.

In my first blog entry, the last thing I want to lead off with is a topic that has already been picked apart ad nauseam. The Carlos Correa offseason free agency saga has been analyzed 500 different ways. But, for me, one part of the finalized contract still makes me scratch my head and wonder if there is more to the story. Much has been made about the ankle and who knew what and when. The Twins have maintained that they already knew about the ankle and it did not stop them from reportedly offering Correa a 10 yr/$285M contract initially. They knew that wasn't going to be enough but weirder things have happened, right? Obviously, you know how it went after that. The Giants and Mets both offered much more than the Twins but both backed out after using the same doctor to examine the same MRI. That's when the Twins reentered the picture and signed Correa to the 6 yr/$200M contract with 4 team options. A full no trade clause and no player opt outs. To me, when you compare the initially offered 10 yr/$285 against the finalized 6 yr/$200 that is where I still have questions. If the Twins already knew about the ankle and were confident to offer the 10 yr/$285M initially, why was the final contract only 6 yr/$200M? Initially I figured Correa lost leverage when the Giants and Mets were no longer in the picture, thus, less money and years. But Scott Boras, Correa's agent, is much savvier than that. If he put out word to the rest of the league that arguably the best SS in the majors is now available for less money and years, you would have a lot of other teams want to jump back into talks. That alone would be enough for Boras to force Minnesota to honor the initial offer of 10 yr/ $285M if they wanted to lock it up. Another possibility is the additional medical exams of Correa's ankle did, in fact, uncover new details about the ankle and its ability to hold up over 10 years. That is when I would've expected the traditionally risk adverse Twins to run for the hills. Instead, they doubled down and still offered Correa the richest free agency deal in franchise history (albeit at a discounted rate but its still uncharted territory for the Twins). A 3rd possibility is Correa was simply over all of the drama. He wanted this month long negotiation to be over and to settle into his long term home with his family and still get paid a kings ransom. At TwinsFest, he said he called Boras and told him to "just get it done with the Twins." At that point, just get it done, and quickly, became the sentiment. Whatever it was, the Twins had an elite SS fall into their laps two years in a row. Any chance of a rebuild has been set aside for at least another 6 years so, for that, I am thankful. I would still love to know what changed at the last minute. Bookmark this blog and come back to it in 2027 and you may have your answer.

Hardly Twins propaganda. They initially offered him 5/100 and reportedly would've gone to 6/130. That was reported several times. He told the Twins thanks but no thanks. His wife is from the east coast and didn't want to be in Minnesota. Period. I agree that the strategy needs to always be looked at but if you do that for every free agent that you do want, you won't have much left for filling other holes you may have given the presumably self-imposed ceiling of $140-160M payroll cap

So Zack Wheeler, for example, choosing to go to Philly after the Twins offered him more money was an intentional ploy to not bring impact pitching to Minnesota? Interesting. And the Twins have literally traded their very best pitching prospects twice in the last 4 years to bring in impact pitchers. One of which finished 2nd in Cy Young voting. Not to mention other top 10 prospects they dealt just in the last trade deadline. Not sure you have all the facts straight.

The Twins aren't refusing to sign big time FA pitchers. They tried the last 3 or 4 years and those pitchers turned down the offer to go elsewhere. And they did trade some of their best prospects at the deadline last year?

Any trade that involves Luis Arraez is a colossal mistake.

Show me a list of owners of professional sports teams that lose money every year and I will show you a blank piece of paper. It doesn't matter what sport, what market or what their perceived interest in competing is. These owners did not buy these organizations to lose money and be a source of goodwill for the community. They purchased these franchises because the value of the organization appreciates at a rapid rate and NEVER loses value. Its an investment dream. If you are a Twins historian like you claim, you would know that the current ownership leadership and front office are in the best spot they have ever been in. Period. They spend average or better on payroll every single season. They just signed the highest AAV contract in baseball history last season and offered the biggest free agent contract in Twins history this offseason. Are they spending like the Dodgers or Yankees? Absolutely not. But, one could argue the amount of spending those two franchises have done should have resulted in more World Series titles than they have. Simply spending more is not a sure fire way to win.

Thank you!

The front office would be silly to move on from Correa until he is officially signed. If they can get him at 10 yrs for $285 that is a steal. This FO knew the leg was something that would come up, hence the lower offer. They knew a 100% Correa was well over $300+ and the market proved that out. The Twins can afford this deal and still spend on other positions, namely SP and RP. A $285M contract now is cheap in 5 or 6 years when we potentially start to see his talents diminish.